~ Skirt in the Kitchen ~
The cake batter recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated– White Layer Cake. Instead of putting in regular vanilla extract, homemade cookie dough-flavored vodka vanilla extract (‘Making Your Own Vanilla Extract’ on May 1, 2013 post, Skirt in the Kitchen) was used in the cake batter as well as in the boiled frosting recipe from Southern Living. I also exchanged the almond extract in the batter for Frontier Coconut Flavor extract. The Shasta Daisies are pesticide-free, lightly cleaned before adhering into frosting. This was fun to make and serve; moist and delicious, a must each year when the daisies are in full bloom.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, then butter parchment; dust the pans with flour.
Bring to room temperature 6 large eggs, 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, and 1 cup whole milk. Pour the milk, egg whites, 1 teaspoon marshmallow vodka vanilla extract, and 2 teaspoons Frontier coconut extract into the glass measuring cup and lightly whisk or stir with a fork well.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine on the lowest speed 2 1/4 cups Swan’s cake flour, 1 3/4 cups sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon table salt. Add the softened butter; beat on low speed until no powdery streaks remain. Gradually add all but 1/2 cup of the liquid mixture and beat on medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining liquid and beat an additional 30 seconds. Stop the mixer, scrape sides of bowl, return the mixer to medium or high speed and beat 20 seconds longer.
Evenly divide batter into pans and bake 23 to 25 minutes.
In a heavy saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture becomes clear. Then cook without stirring until reaching a soft ball stage, 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. When close to the temperature needed, beat egg whites on high speed in the stand mixer until soft peaks form. Continue beating egg whites while slowly pouring hot syrup in a heavy stream. Add 1 teaspoon cookie dough vodka vanilla extract. Beat until stiff peaks form, the frosting becoming thick enough to spread.
When all of cake has been frosted, daisies cleaned, begin around the inner edges to lay the flowers, working into the center top.
Work down the sides.
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